Tempest Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 After chatting with Albert last night, I've come up with an interesting contest. Make a useful program with the Atari 2600 Basic Programming cart! That's right, Basic Programming! I want to see if someone out there can make a useful utility or game with the 12 lines and limited command set that Basic Programming allows you to use. Is this possible? Yes! I've seen it done (on paper at least), but it's very difficult to make anything more than a simple Pong game (even that is a challenge). So what do you get for winning this contest? Err... Umm... I'm sure I can come up with something interesting from my trade bin, maybe someone can help with that. Anyway, we still need an impartial judge for this contest. Any ideas? I would offer to judge it, but I want to try this myself. Al or Alex, if you want to make this an offical Atari Age contest feel free. I just thought it was a cool idea. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubersaurus Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 maybe a reverse pong, of sorts. instead of trying to knock the ball by the opponent, you try to shoot them with high speed lobs. of course, i think the paddles will have to be larger then in pong... Of course, I don't even own the cart. So I guess this is a moot post ;p [ 11-30-2001: Message edited by: ubersaurus ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted November 30, 2001 Author Share Posted November 30, 2001 Use an emulator. Give it a shot. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubersaurus Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 but that would make referring back to the manual a difficult task. Unless....why didn't I think of that before? I have a cuttle cart, duh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadenut Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Tempest: After chatting with Albert last night, I've come up with an interesting contest. Make a useful program with the Atari 2600 Basic Programming cart! That's right, Basic Programming! I want to see if someone out there can make a useful utility or game with the 12 lines and limited command set that Basic Programming allows you to use. Is this possible? Yes! I've seen it done (on paper at least), but it's very difficult to make anything more than a simple Pong game (even that is a challenge). So what do you get for winning this contest? Err... Umm... I'm sure I can come up with something interesting from my trade bin, maybe someone can help with that. Anyway, we still need an impartial judge for this contest. Any ideas? I would offer to judge it, but I want to try this myself. Al or Alex, if you want to make this an offical Atari Age contest feel free. I just thought it was a cool idea. Tempest I looked at the Manual for the BASIC and it seems VERY limited. Is there a better reference or is the language really that limited? Can I get input from a Joystick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Slocum Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 You can't get joystick input. Only keypad. I have a book of Basic programs I wrote when I was a kid. There's not much useful you can do. It's tough with so little RAM. I think it's limited to 12 lines because that was just the way it was programmed. Often, you run out of symbols before you reach 10 lines, so I guess they didn't think there was much point to supporting more lines. It probably could be expanded using supercharger RAM, but you'd have to add the ability to scroll for more lines of code, etc. It would be a lot of work. -Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubersaurus Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 Looking through your website, tempest, I've come to the conclusion that you should dump your channel f carts ;p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted November 30, 2001 Author Share Posted November 30, 2001 That's what makes it a challenge! And yes it is that limited. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Mackey Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 Well, I don't have the Basic cart myself, but I'll use an emulator and give it a shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calamari Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 This is great contest! Thanks calamari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nateo Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 This is like asking us to cure cancer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted December 1, 2001 Author Share Posted December 1, 2001 Come on, give it a shot! Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calamari Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 Dancing Dots Demo Key: { is the left arrow 1 A{A+1 2 Hor1{Hor1+A 3 Hor2{0-Hor1 4 Ver1{Ver1+A 5 Ver2{0-Ver1 6 Goto 1 Not very useful and not a game. Oops! Guess I'll have to try again. calamari [ 11-30-2001: Message edited by: calamari ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze_ro Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Nateo: This is like asking us to cure cancer... Hmm... can you cure cancer in 12 lines of code? I think that would earn you a lot more than Channel F games I wouldn't mind actually trying this... especially since I recently picked up a copy of Basic Programming with the manual. Except that I still don't have a set of keyboard controllers, and I don't feel like printing up custom overlays to use with my vide touchpads... --Zero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Slocum Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 I've printed Basic Programming overlays for the video touch pads before. It's crumby quality, but here's my layout in Microsoft Word format. It should print about the right size, but you may have to tweak it a bit depending on your printer. Basic Programming Video Touch Pad Overlays 250k -Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari-Jess Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 naw dont give out channel F carts, give away something Atari, let me take a moment to look in that trade bin...... *PLEASE STAND BY FOR ATARI-JESS'S SEARCH* (hey grats on the moderator thing there tempest!) *NOTE, ATARI-JESS WAS UNABLE TO FIND THIS "TRADE BIN"* ahwell, anyways, ima trying that contest i tells ya! ive been working on that basic programming game (rom image, sigh) for a while! (ive also been looking for a copy of it with no luck, atari stuff has been pretty dry these days for ol' atari-jess) so watch out, atarians! im gonna give it a full out ninja monkey style go at this! (about that ninja monkey style thing, its unexplainable so never mind it) -*This post is officially odd*- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvigor Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 On a similar note I would like to ask a question to the forum readers. If anyone has ever disassembled this program, hopefully you will be able to answer me. Was the basic program limited to 12 lines because of RAM restrictions? If so, could the program be modified for the cuttle cart (or the Supercharger for that matter) to have many more lines of code? That would be cool. -Matthew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sway3 Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 Zero, you are bidding on some of my auctions (unless there is another ze-ro guy). If you win any of them, I'll send you a keyboard controller for free. (Do you need 2?) edit: Heh, it sounds like a marketing ploy - that was unintentional. If you don't win, I'll send you one for shipping cost only. [ 12-01-2001: Message edited by: sway3 ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhindle The Red Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 For those trying to use BASIC Programming with Video Touch pads, I've been working on making adapted overlays for the various controllers (Star Raiders for the Kid's Controller, etc.) I have a template for the Video Touch Pad that I quickly did up as the BASIC Programming right controller. Here it is (it's big - pixel-wise, not file-wise) I don't have my Video Touch Pads handy, so could someone print it out and see if the dimensions are good. If so, I'll finish it up (it still needs a little cosmetic work) and then I'll start on the left controller, otherwise I'll adjust it. I also don't actually have the BASIC Programming overlays and the AtariAge scan is a bit fuzzy, so make sure that everything is accurate, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calamari Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 I know this is sad.. but I was messing with Basic Programming for 2-3 hours last night and I pretty much memorized the layout. When I quit my hands were aching (and my brain too). My program above pretty much maxes out the thing (only like 5 memory bytes left over). My original game idea was way too lofty. But I have another idea.. hopefully it will fit. Once you get down to it, you really only have 6-7 lines or so before you run out of memory! How could they sell this thing ? heheheh calamari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze_ro Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 quote: Originally posted by sway3: Zero, you are bidding on some of my auctions (unless there is another ze-ro guy). If you win any of them, I'll send you a keyboard controller for free. (Do you need 2?) Cool! I actually had a bid going on the pair that you had up there a week or so ago, but someone sniped them away from me I think you actually pretty much need two... --Zero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted December 1, 2001 Author Share Posted December 1, 2001 quoteOnce you get down to it, you really only have 6-7 lines or so before you run out of memory! How could they sell this thing? I have no idea how they sold it has Basic Programming. It's really a strech isn't it? My theory is that since they called it the Video COMPUTER System they had to have a programming cart for it (like the Intellivision did). Someone should ask Warren Robinett about it. Maybe someone could hack a 16K version of it or something? I made this contest because I wanted to see if anyone could actually do something useful with it since no one ever talks about it. BTW, here's a Basic Programming prototype (same as the relased version): Tempest [ 12-01-2001: Message edited by: Tempest ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Slocum Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 I honestly really enjoyed it when I was a kid. I probaly got it about 1983-4 and really spent a lot of time writing programs. At the time, we didn't have a computer and I didn't know anyone who did, so I didn't realize quite how limited it was. -Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calamari Posted December 2, 2001 Share Posted December 2, 2001 ATARI 2600 BASIC PROGRAMMING GAME PROGRAM: METEOR ASSAULT Programmed by Jeffry Johnston, 2001 Get ready! A large group of meteors is approaching your lunar colony. You are the gunner of a ship sent to intercept and destroy the incoming meteors. Move quickly before the inhabitants on the surface perish in the bombardment. You will be in control of guided missiles launched at the nearest meteor. Use the right keypad to apply rocket thrust and will steer the missile (1-4 left 5 straight 6-9 right). If you miss, you'll have another chance on your next orbit, but remember, everyone below is counting on you! If the meteors are hit, they will be pushed away from the lunar surface, but the moon will continue to tug on them. If they are pushed far enough away, the meteors will enter orbit, and the disaster will have been averted, for now. Program (The symbol <= represents the left arrow): 1 Hor1<=Hor1+1 2 Ver1<=Ver1+1 3 Ver2<=Ver2-8 4 Hor2<=Hor2+Key-5 5 If Hit Then Ver1<=Ver1-15 Ver2<=0 6 Goto 1 Game entry tips: 1) Slide the left difficult switch to A. 2) Increase the speed to 60. 3) Turn off the STATUS, STACK, VARIABLES, and OUTPUT windows. 4) Enter the program code. Note: Spaces should not be put into the program, and some lines will wrap around. 5) When the program has been entered, turn off the PROGRAM window. 6) Push RUN and enjoy! To Restart the game, use the Reset switch. To Pause the action, press "*" on the left keypad. If you'd like a more challenging game, change the "+1" in line 1 to "+7", change the "+1" in line 2 to "+2", and change "-8" in line 3 to "-16". calamari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze_ro Posted December 2, 2001 Share Posted December 2, 2001 Instead of beefing up an Atari 2600 version, has anyone considering re-making this for Windows or something? Perhaps have little buttons on the sides that would insert the characters or something. Naturally, you could write much more complicated things... and you could even provide additional features. I suppose the whole idea of Basic Programming though is that it's running on such an underpowered machine... --Zero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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